Vehicle-tire.



I. IVI. 6L N. R. HAAS & B.-V. IVIYEBS.

VEHICLE TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I2. |914.

Patented May 8, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I l. M. c N. R. HAAS & B. V. MYERS.

VEHICLE TIRE.

APPLlcAloN FILED 1AN.12, 1914.

1,224,920..` Patented May, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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NETE@ @RATES PATENT @Fiflltt IRVIN 1VI. HAAS, NELSON R. EAA-S, ANDvIBER'.[]?\,A1\C1 V. MYERS, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS OE',ONEFOURTH 10GUS HAAS, OF DAYTON, OI-llO.,`

VEHICLE-TIRE.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, i917.

Application filedA January 12, 1914. Serial No. 811,613.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, InviN M.. HAAs, NELSON R. Haas, and BERTRAM V.MYERS, all citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton, in thecounty of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in `Vehicle-Tires, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to resilient vehicle tires of the spring type andmore particularly to a detachable sectional tire applicable to the wheelrims now in common use.

The object of-the invention is to simplify the structure as well as themeans and mode of operation of such devices, whereby they will not onlybe cheapened in construction but will be more efficient in use, capableof being easily and quickly applied or detached and unlikely to get outof repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nonpneumatic tire, theseveral sections of which are inter-changeable and which when damaged orbroken may be replaced by similar sections without disturbing theremainder of the tire. Y

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will morefully appear in the specification, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction the parts and combinations thereof, or theirequivalents as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the` drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion ofthe vehicle wheel to which the invention has been ap-k plied. Fig. 2 isa' transverse sectional view of one of the tire units illustrating itscon-` neetion and relation with the wheel rim. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of one of the tire units with the cover material partly tornaway to disclose the resilient spring member within. Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view on line m-w of Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is adetail perspective view of one of the resilient members withoutthecovering material. Figs. 6 and? are side elevations of portions ofvehicle wheels to which modifications of the invention shown ,in thepreceding figures have been applied. Fig. Sis adetail sectional view ofthe shoe or casing employed in the construction shown in Fig. 7.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

The vehicle tire forming the lsubject matter hereof is adapted to be'applied to wheel rims of ordinary construction such as are now commonlyemployed with pneumatic or other tires of the clencher type. In thedrawing l is the felly of the wheel carrying the rim 2 which is providedwith inturned or recessed marginal flanges 3. The tire f formingthesubject matter hereof comprises a plurality of separable sections 4,each the counterpartof every other section and interchangeabletherewith, engaged with the wheel rim in position closely adjacent oneto the other and radial in relation. with the wheel. Each tire unit isunder sullicient tension when in place upon the wheel to maintain itsengagement with the inturned flanges of the rim. The tire units fl eachcomprise a fiat metallic spring member 5 shaped into a `bowed or arcuateferm and having at each` end of the arc a hook shaped reversed bend Gadapted -to be engaged with the inturned flanges 3 of the rim, andterminating in flat extensions 7 projecting inward toward each other ina common plane. These extensions 7 rest upon the bottom of the channel.

rlfhe spring members 5 are preferably though not necessarily providedwith a cover 8 of rubber, fabric or other material. This covering ispreferably applied by passing the material entirely around the springmember 5 as shown in Fig. 4; and vuloanizing it in position. By thismeans the spring 5 is entirely inclosed within the covering materialwhich forms `a comparatively thin cover 9 upon the interior of thespring member while the cover 8 upon the outer side thereof is ofgreater thickness. outer covering is of greatest thickness upon thetread portion of the unit and tapers therefrom to a thin layer 'adjacentto the The hook shaped reversed bends 6. This covering the wheel. Thetread portion of the unit 4110 may be provided with the usual ribs,beads, studs or buttons, to provide 'an anti-skid surface, such as isusually found upon vehicle tires.

The sections or units are secured side by side in the channel or rim ofthe Wheel by compressing the unit laterally until the hook shapedreversed bends G may be passed within the inturned flanges of the rimvvhere they will be held by the expansion of the unit.

During the engaging operation the free ends of the extensions 7 willoverlie one upon the other. As the unit expands into position With thereversed bends 6 engaged beneath the inturned flanges 3, the extensions7 will assume positions in a common plane as shovvn in Fig. 2, Wherethey Will lock the unit against accidental disengagement. Any tendencyof the unit to be disengaged from the inturned flanges 3 by theengagement of the unit With a curb, car track, stone or otherobstruction Will be resisted by the abutment of the extremity of oneextension 7 upon that of the other extension. However vvhen it isdesired to remove one of the units it may be done by bending the unitlaterally suiiicient to tilt one eXtension 7 above the other at the sametime that the unit is being compressed. This Will permit one of the hookshaped reverse bends 6 to be disengaged from the rim thereby freeing theunit.

The spring members 5 are proportioned to the Weight of the vehicle andload to be carried. Each Wedge or sector shaped unit kis secured in therim independent of every other unit and in case of injury or breakagemay be readily removed and a new unit replaced Without disturbing anyother units of the series. While in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the spring membershave been shown with parallel edges it is obvious that if so desired itmay be made slightly Wider at the tread portion than adjacent to thereversed bend 6, as in Fig. 7.

If so desired, the uncovered spring members 5, such as shown in Fig. 5may be employed. In such event they would abut one upon the otherthroughout their entire eX- tent from the tread to the rim. This wouldprovide a resilient all metallic tire. Any section of this metallic tirecould be removed or replaced Without disturbing the other sectionsthereof in the manner before described.

For certain uses it may be desirable to vulcanize the separate coveredunits as previously described into an integral body as is shovvn in Fig.6. In such construction the spring members 5 Will be spaced Within thebody one from the other, but vvill be connected by continuous .coveringof rubber, fabric, or other material. In constructing such integraltire, it Will be found desirable to provide indicating marks 10 eitherby means of a slight groove, a slight rib or bead or a thread or coloredstratum in the covering material at points intermediate the springmembers 5. ln the event that any one of the spring members is broken ordamaged, the tire can then be cut at the adjacent points marked by saidindicating lines and the broken section removed to be replaced by a newsection, such as is shown in Fig. 3 and is previously described.- Thisnew section may be vulcanized to the adjacent ends of the continuousmember if desired or may be entirely independent.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a further modi ication in vvhich the springmetallic 1nembers 5 engaged with the rim of the Wheel are inclosed in aseparable shoe or casing 1l. The spring members 5 are placed Within theshoe or casing 11 before being engaged with the rim of the Wheel. Thefree edges of the casing being of less diameter than the tread of thetire formed by the separate spring members 5, the casing can not escapebut will be retained in position inclosing such spring members.

The spring members 5 comprise transverse load sustaining ribs or bandssuiiiciently resilient Within themself to retain their engagement withthe rim and possess ing sufficient strength to resiliently support thevehicle and load. As herein shovvn a tire may comprise a pluralityl ofindependent units, either bare or covered or may comprise a plurality ofsuch separate transverse bands or ribs inclosed in an integral coveringor casing.

From the above description it Will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described, possessing the features ofadvantage before enumerated as desirable but Which obviously issusceptible of modification in its form, proportion, detail constructionor arrangement of parts, Without departing from the principle involvedor sacrificing any of its advantages.

yVhile in order to comply with the statute, the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to certain structuralfeatures. it is to be understood that the invention is not limited toany specific details, but that the' means and construction hereindescribed comprise but one mode of putting the invention into effect,and the invention is therefore claimed broadly in any of its possibleforms or modifications Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, We claim:

l. The combination with a rim of a tire including a plurality ofindependent metallio arcuate springs each having at the eX- treinities`of its arch a reversed or S shaped bend adapted to be engaged with thesides 5 plurality of independent metallic arcuate of the rim, andinturned :toot adapted to abut each other in a plane.

2. The combination with a Wheel rim of a portions ends of the springsbeing extended beyond common the said body for direct engagement with 15the rim.

' In testimony whereof, vve have hereunto set our hands this third dayof January springs each htving at its extremities 'e- 1914.

versed bends a apted to e engaged un er tension with the sides of therim with Which 'RHJS they are held in engagement by the lateralBERTRAM'V MYRS expansive tendency of the arcuate springs, and a body ofrubber or similar material in Witnesses:

which the crown or medial portion of each ALFRED MGCRAY,

arcuate spring is embedded, the reversed F. L. WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

